PWHL Expansion: Four New Franchises Named

The Professional Women's Hockey League announced on Tuesday the official names and visual identities for its four new expansion franchises. The Detroit Clutch, Hamilton Havoc, Las Vegas Vanguards, and San Jose Sea Lions will join the league for the 2026-27 season, increasing the total number of teams to twelve.

The league had previously shared the color palettes for these uniforms with the public last month. The new teams will wear city-branded jerseys in their inaugural campaigns. While the team logos will not appear on the jerseys until the second season, they will be displayed on merchandise available to fans starting this season.

Each name was selected to reflect local heritage. The San Jose Sea Lions reference the wildlife of the Bay Area coastline. The league also cited a historical connection to the San Francisco Sea Lions, a West Coast Negro Baseball Association team that played in 1946. That club included Toni Stone, an infielder who later played in men's major professional leagues, including the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League.

The Detroit Clutch branding incorporates the city's automotive legacy. The circular logo features elements of a wheel and a clutch, with lines inside the design mimicking a vinyl record to honor the Motown music scene. The team name uses chrome, Art Deco style typography.

The Hamilton Havoc logo is anchored by the peregrine falcon, the official bird of the city. The design aims to balance the city's industrial history with its natural environment. The Las Vegas Vanguards feature a kit fox in their logo, a species native to the Mojave Desert. The team's aesthetic utilizes a palette of cactus green, fox ivory, desert gold, and midnight navy.

Amy Scheer, the executive VP of business operations for the PWHL, stated that the league approached the branding process with care. She said the goal was to create names and logos that reflect the character of each community while remaining connected to the PWHL identity. Scheer noted that the brands will gain meaning as they are shaped by fans and players.

Women-led design teams within the PWHL led the development of each city's identity. The process for the Las Vegas and San Jose logos included collaboration with the creative agency Doubleday and Cartwright. The fourth season of PWHL play is scheduled to begin on December 5 and 6.